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Fast,
concise facts and information about Saint Thomas of Canterbury
The following provides fast and concise facts and
information:
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Memorial Day / Feast Day of
Saint Thomas of Canterbury: December 29
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Description / Title of the Saint : Archbishop
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Date of
Death: Saint Thomas of Canterbury died 29th December, 1170
The Story and
History of Saint Thomas of Canterbury
The story and history of Saint Thomas of Canterbury. Saint
Thomas, son of Gilbert Becket, was born in Southwark,
England, in 1117. When a youth he was attached to the
household of Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, who sent
him to Paris and Bologna to study law. He became Archdeacon
of Canterbury, then Lord High Chancellor of England; and in
1160, when Archbishop Theobald died, the king insisted on
the consecration of St. Thomas in his stead. St. Thomas
refused, warning the king that from that hour their
friendship would be broken. In the end he yielded, and was
consecrated. The conflict at once broke out; St. Thomas
resisted the royal customs, which violated the liberties of
the Church and the laws of the realm. After six years of
contention, partly spent in. exile, St. Thomas, with full
foresight of martyrdom before him, returned as a good
shepherd to his Church. On the 29th of December, 1170, just
as vespers were beginning, four knights broke into the
cathedral, crying: "Where is the archbishop? where is the
traitor?" The monks fled, and St. Thomas might easily have
escaped. But he advanced, saying: "Here I am—no traitor, but
archbishop. What seek you?" "Your life," they cried. "Gladly
do I give it," was the reply; and bowing his head, the
invincible martyr was hacked and hewn to death. Six months
later Henry II. submitted to be publicly scourged at the
Saint's shrine, and restored to the Church her full rights.
For additional Facts click the
following link
Thomas Becket
Feast Day of Saint Thomas of Canterbury
The Feast Day of Saint Thomas of Canterbury is December 29. The origin of Feast Days:
most saints have specially designated feast days and are
associated with a specific day of the year and these are
referred to as the saint's feast day. The feast days first
arose from the very early Christian custom of the annual
commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the
same time celebrating their birth into heaven.
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